Memories
by eternalotaku
Summary: Rukia reminisces about past events and Ichigo comforts her. My first fic, please r&r! oneshot. IchigoxRukia


Rukia sat on Ichigo's bed looking out the window, waiting for Ichigo to bring her dinner, it had been two weeks since they had escaped from soul society. He seemed worried about her, as did all of their friends, well the ones that knew about soul society at least.

As many times as she told them, and herself that she was fine, it had affected her... A lot, her brother... Kuchiki Byakuya. She knew what her brother was like, and yet, actually seeing him, standing there, ready to kill her, wanting to kill her... It hurt.

She always looked up to him, always strived to be like him, and being adopted by his family was one of her dreams come true, not that Shinigami were supposed to have dreams. Even Renji, one of her best friend's admired him, maybe that was because of her influence? No, everyone admired and respected him, sometimes feared him, maybe in part because of his noble title, but mostly because of the way he carried himself. He was so proud, so perfect, he had perfected the ways of the shinigami. Whenever she saw him he demanded authority, his back always perfectly straight, the pinnacle of perfection in every aspect.

She had learned this shortly after being adopted by the Kuchiki, that night she had watched him kill that hollow. It was to be a training lesson for her, and one of the rare if not once-in-a-life-times that her brother had watched her. She was doing well, against a rather powerful hollow too, but what else would one expect from a Kuchiki? She was dodging and attacking with expert timing, she jumped, and slashed it. Amazingly, even in it's injured state, it slid to the side, only getting part of it's mask cut away! She looked on in shock as the mask slid away to reveal a much less vulgar looking creature, a human face.

"Human..." She said aloud. _"I can't kill something that looks that human_!" Was her first thought.

Though if she didn't she would just be killed and bring shame to the family name! She absolutely had to destroy it. Dodging another attack, she steeled her will.

"_Just remember Rukia_" she told herself, "_It's not human anymore! Just a creature driven by instinct, besides they don't die, they just return to soul society_."

Even having seen them before, it was still a hard thing to do, but she would, she had too! She jumped right, then left, barely missing being impaled each time! She was ready, she was going to cut it down! Just as she was going for the final blow, she saw a flash of color, stopping in her tracks she saw him. The perfect shinigami, her brother, Kuchiki Byakuya. He moved like lightning, she barely saw him attack, but from what she did see, he didn't hesitate at all, fear was a foreign word to him. Always a calm face, not acknowledging whatever strength the hollow had, which was nothing compared to his! Straight up and straight down. Simple and efficient. As he landed, he walked to her, "to slow" was all he said, as he walked past her without so much as a backwards glance. Following him back, she had decided, she would never again hesitate or be "slow" for her honor, and her name sake.

As this conclusion was remembered, Ichigo walked through the door. "Here's your dinner.", he said as he put it on the bed in front of her.

"Thanks." she responded.

She ate in silence as Ichigo looked through his homework beside her, eyeing her every few minutes.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing, why do you ask?" She responded

"You look kinda distant" he added "but really what's wrong" she looked at him.

"Why? Are you worried?" She asked with a smirk.

"YES! I am!" He shouted rather loudly.

Surprised by his open concern and non-existent insult in rebuttal, she spoke, the look of shock disappearing.

"Just remembering old times I suppose." she continued "Nothing worth troubling yourself with."

"_Nothing worth troubling yourself with? "That so... Rukia .._." After all that two weeks ago I'm not supposed to "trouble myself!" "You idiot!" He screamed at her "Of course I'm gonna worry, baka!"

"Sorry Ichigo..." She said softly.

Guilt washed over him at her response.

"Don't be, just know that, although I won't force my way into your heart" he smiled a little as he used the phrase she had previously said to him "I'll always be here if you need me for anything... Ever."

"Ichigo... Thank you..." They sat together in silence afterwards.

Their moment of peace, however, was ruined shortly after by the sounds of his family leaving to go out to a movie.

"Why didn't you go with them?" Rukia questioned him.

"I told them I had homework" Implying he going was to stay with her, she however didn't quite understand...

"Well then I guess we should do it then." Ichigo rolled his eyes at her naiveness.

"Why don't we just go downstairs and watch TV. For a while?" He more than suggested "then we can do homework."

"I suppose..." She said slightly confused.

The orange haired man beside her watched amused at her puzzled expression.

"_I knew you couldn't refuse Rukia! What you need now is to relax, and get away from all the bad memories for a while." _Two days ago, he had shown her the "box of moving pictures" At first, she was in shock, too amazed by modern technology to really register what was going on in it, after that wore off however, she seemed to quite enjoy it.

Just as they were about to sit down, Ichigo asked, "Hey, where's the remote?"

"You mean the box's master?" She replied.

"Yeah", he said while sweat dropping "_well, I did say the remote controlled the TV._He thought to himself.

"Is that it, on the table beside you?" He heard Rukia ask from the other side of the room.

"Ah, there it is" he said.

Although, just as he was about to take a step towards it, a blur sped across the room and appeared in front of him, remote in hand.

"Here" the black haired girl said, with her usual calm expression, as she handed it to him.

"Damn! Your fast!" He remarked as he put his hand out to take the object, looking at her face, and the un-hidden smile on her face, he stopped. "What's up?" He questioned suspiciously.

"What do you mean?" Was her only response.

"_Well, at least she doesn't seem upset anymore_." The boy thought relieved.

"Never mind, whatever" he said, in a less harsh tone than he was custom too, as he grabbed the remote and sat on the couch.

"Come on", he called, beginning to flip through the channels.

Rukia stood there for a moment, observing him with a perplexed look, "_damn, your fast_!" Her mind echoed his comment back at her.

A smile once again appeared on her face.

"_ I know that memories don't fade quickly, if at all, they say only time heals, even the memory being betrayed by your own people, besides_, she thought, regarding the boy, "_this is my home now_".

"Rukia?" The orange haired boy inquired as she was snapped out of her thoughts and moved to sit next to him.

He gave her a questioning glance, but said nothing.

"_Even if I'm still bothered by recent events now, I know, soon I'll be fine, thanks to all our friends, and...you, Ichigo_."

"_I know my future here will be very pleasant_" was her final thought before turning back to the TV. "Here's some show about bunnies" she heard from beside her. "_Oh yes, very pleasant_" she thought, the smile still on her face.


End file.
